Books read, thoroughly enjoyed, in recent months.

The Virtues of War: A Novel of Alexander the Great by Steven Pressfield
The Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
Shane Comes Home by Rinker Buck
A Free Life by Ha Jin
Waiting by Ha Jin
A Good Fall by Ha Jin
Under the Red Flag by Ha Jin
The Boat Rocker by Ha Jin
War Trash by Ha Jin
A Map of Betrayal by Ha Jin
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls
The Color of Lightening by Paulette Jiles
Red Sky at Morning by Richard Bradford
In The Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
The City of Fallen Angels by John Berendt
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Batavia’s Graveyard by Mike Dash
Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson
A Land So Strange: The Epic Journey of Cabeza de Vaca by Andres Resendez
The Spy And The Traitor by Ben Macintyre
Beyond Winning: The Timeless Wisdom of Great Philosopher Coaches by Gary Walton

Bach on the lautenwerck. And other Bach bouquets.

The 50 Greatest Composers of All Time. Bach is No. 1. Got that right. But Handel is not even on the list!

Don’s top ten:

1. Bach
2. Handel
3. Beethoven
4. Mozart
5. Vivaldi
6. Tchaikovsky
7. Chopin
8. Satie
9. Haydn
10. The Gregorian chant gang

Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life …I’m now reading the book

Montaigne’s Humanity

Recommended: How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at An Answer

Dick Hoyt, who pushed his son, Rick Hoyt, through nearly every Boston Marathon from 1980 to 2014, six Ironman triathlons and more than a thousand road races, died on Wednesday. He was 80 years old. …More

Laugh here

Zoom Escaper …Ever “attended” a Zoom wedding? A Zoom medical appointment? And Zoom schooling? Don’t me started. I’ll shut up for the rest of the day.

Yesterday Yo Yo Ma and Don got their second vaccine shot. His 15 minute observation period was more productive. Watch

Californix? …How about more focus on basic literacy?

How Do You Weigh a Hummingbird? …The bumblebee hummingbirds in Mexico are smaller at 2.2 g

People who BS are more likely to fall for BS. …Like you and Don when we talk/argue politics?

Burpees! …The post includes the following: “Most people can do about 20 burpees in a minute.” Well, Don can’t, and I’m guessing you can’t either. Not a good sign for either of us.